Book Review

Erik Mombeeck is well known among Luftwaffe enthusiasts for his detailed Jagdwaffe unit histories. Now Erik has decided to open up his huge photo archive to the rest of us in the form of a monograph series. Two books a year are planned and each issue will be a large format softcover landscape booklet/monograph of some 50-60 pages of photos supported by some text (pilot accounts) and profile artworks by Thierry Dekker. Issue 1 has just been published and I can guarantee that Luftwaffe modellers will love this - the colour is fabulous! As can be seen from the page views presented here there are some exciting subjects covered including 'emblem', 'camouflage' and 'equipment' photo galleries, illustrated with rare pictures and superb profile artwork. Highlights include a period colour Ju88 gallery & lots of Bf 109 Emils in Battle of Britain schemes. One of the ideas behind this new photo book series was that it should serve as a shop window for Erik Mombeeck's bigger unit histories, so in this first issue there are pages devoted to JG1, JG2, JG26 and so forth. One of the 'aims' of author/publisher Mombeeck was to produce a quality publication and situate it somewhere between Eagle Editions' 'WOTBC' and Kagero Topcolours. Given that this booklet is VERY reasonably priced I think he has succeeded. 'Luftwaffe Gallery' is available direct from Erik via his website http://www.luftwaffe.be or via outlets such as the Aviation Bookshop in the UK.

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SUMMARY

Highs: Beautiful period colour photos and superlative profile artworkLows:Verdict: Super new monograph from Erik Mombeeck and very reasonably priced

Aircraft enthusiast & 'basic modeller'. I spent my formative years on the base at RAF Marham (my dad worked Victors). I was an Air France dispatcher for 8 years on B737, A320 & F100 types. My first article for Scale Aircraft Modelling was published in March 2001 (a fifteen-page research feature on...

Comments

Hi Steffen
...interesting question! Re the 'WOTBC' and 'Top Colours' comparison - well I was just trying to compare it to something, but realise that I might have got it wrong! I could have mentioned LiF. The main selling point of LuGa (Luftwaffe Gallery) is Dekker's artwork - and there is lots of it here ! LuGa also features a good percentage of nice period colour photos! (unlike either 'WOTBC' with its postwar wrecks or 'Top Colours' - FWIW I wouldn't put 'Top colours' in the same category as anything by 'Histoire & Collections', since the artwork and the decal sheets in the Kagero publication are superb). Another thing I would say about LuGa is that it is a much bigger publication than either 'WOTBC' and 'TC' - and it costs less (15 euros direct from Erik's site I believe). The photos were nearly all new to me and none of them postwar! (Not something I go a bundle on either) LuGa also features some text pages, including pilot accounts, solely in English (unlike LiF), but overall there is not as much text as LiF. I gave 'TC' the benefit of the doubt in my review solely because of the lovely decals..however Top Colours is a much more expensive publication with no photos. As we say "you pays your money, you takes your choice" ..
HTH
Neil

Thanks a bunch Neil!!
I had a look at Eric's site, but there was no price mentioned, so I had to ask
Also: If I have sound rude (and the way I read your response I have the feeling I was), that was not my intention. So: I do apologize!
As for EE there is always some interesting stuff in it, but in my situation I will rather buy the new Kampfflieger RK-Träger book than 3 WOTBC I would get for the same money (if I would live in Northern America I might think otherwise).
I always thought "TC" was a line where mixed profiles from the Monographs are reprinted with the same decals thrown in? ... thus the "recycling" comment and the reference to "H&C" ... as I wrote: I might be wrong!
Many thanks for the hint and the review! To bad I have already ordered JG5 pt.3 some week ago. My pal Volker told me our package is already on its way ...
viele Grüße
Steffen

no, not at all Steffen. Certainly no need to apologise at all - on second thoughts if my trip to Berlin comes off in August you can buy me a beer!
I'm surprised though that you are not familiar with Top Colours - great decals, but a little expensive perhaps. Yes I think you're right about WOTBC - if you live in the US, the prices for that publication+postage are pretty reasonable. Hope you get the chance to check out a copy of LuGa soon !
alles Gute
Neil

review no. 564 coming shortly then ? ...(how do you do it !)
I thought it was quite a nice looking booklet, with perhaps a little too much emphasis on maritime Luftwaffe aircraft for my tastes....worth buying though for the JG 77 'scribble' schemes, some new pics there not in Prien..

Hi Neil
Sorry for the late reply - late review too... it'll actually be more like number 568. Hopefully online by the end of the week.
I actually really like the Seaplanes section - but it reminds me just how much we need good quality and affordable 1:48 kits of the aircraft.
All the best
Rowan

MAY 04, 2011 - 08:49 AM

We broke our quick reply box. Working on it. Until fixed go to topic to reply.Thanks.